DAME Vera Lynn, George Formby and Gracie Fields helped millions of Britons cope with the horrors of the Second World War.

But will today's entertainers be remembered 50 years after the battle for Baghdad? The Bolton Evening News asks the experts at the Imperial War Museum North.

WARTIME years have a profound effect on people, For many, their lives will never be the same.

But the entertainment industry -- music, dance, cinema, theatre and comedy -- has always played a big part in helping soldiers and civilians cope.

It can articulate their feelings, has brought hope for a brighter future and in some cases has kept people alive.

The subject is tackled by "In the Mood" -- a new exhibition at the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester which looks at entertainment from the First World War to today.

It tells the story of the stars that rose to fame during times of war and shows how entertainment shaped lives during times of conflict.

The exhibition uses material from the museum's rich collections, which include BBC shows like radio's Band Wagon.

The Second World War boosted the careers of performers such as Gracie Fields and Arthur Askey, who went out to the front to entertain the troops.

A staggering 2.6 million shows were performed for the soldiers during the six year conflict.

And George Formby, who earned a staggering £100,000 as Britain's highest-paid entertainer in the 1930s, played his ukulele on almost every battleplain.

Michael Simpson, curator of "In the Mood", believes that such performers helped secure victory by lifting people's spirits and keeping boredom at bay.

But he is doubtful whether some modern-day performers will be remembered like their predecessors were after the Second World War.

He says: "Entertainers have an important role to play during wartime -- even today. People need be entertained to take their attention away from conflict.

"Those who uplifted people's spirits during the Second World War had six years to develop their reputations. The war in Iraq might not last that long and so those performers who are in the spotlight today are less likely to be remembered for their war role in years to come."

Mr Simpson says that -- even though the Iraqi conflict might be short -- entertainment still has a role to play in articulating the feelings of fear, hope, longing and celebration.

American and British soldiers have gone into battle playing songs such as Enrique Iglesias's Hero inside their tanks.

And Justin Timberlake's Cry Me A River has also been in the nation's psyche because of its "feelgood" melody.

The song is about being fragile but becoming stronger.

But will it have the staying power of Vera Lynn's The White Cliffs Of Dover and Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag. Mr Simpson thinks that, of all the forms of entertainment, comedy is best-suited to expressing emotions and opinions about the war.

Comics such as Rory Bremner and Mark Thomas go to the heart of the issues. Their routines are sharper and more political than their slapstick predecessors.

They can also perform instantly after any event -- whereas other performers have to spend months fine-tuning a song or making a film.

Mr Simpson says: "Comedians look set to rise to prominence the quickest during this conflict, but all performers have an important role to play in helping people get through these difficult times.

"Who knows whether they will be remembered in the future -- only time will tell."

"In the Mood" is at the Imperial War Museum from today until September 7. For more information visit www.iwm.org.uk or tel: 0161 836 4000.

There are lots of opportunities for people to get involved in the exhibition, including Jump, Jive and Wail!, where dancers will give lessons on dances popular during the war to beginners.